I'm preparing my first corn beef for tomorrows cook. I was wondering if I should rinse or not. Rinse = put beef in bucket filled with fresh water; drain and refill every hour, 1 hour per # to reduce salinity or just cook as is.

What would be the best wood to use? I have apple, oak, pecan, and hickory.

I am going to apply mustard as a binder using ground pickling spice as my rub.

Pickling Spice varies by manufacturer. Some I have liked and others, not so much. I make what is similar and what I like. It is kind of a cross between NY Pastrami and Montreal Smoked Meat...JJ

Better 'en NY Pastrami Rub

2T Turbinado Sugar

2T Black Peppercorns

1T Coriander Seed

1T Dill Seed

1T Dry Minced Onion

1T Dry Minced Garlic

1tsp Allspice Berries

1tsp Mustard Seed

1tsp Dry Thyme Leaves

3 Bay Leaves, crumbled

1tsp Juniper Berries

All Spices are Whole and were toasted in a dry pan over Medium heat until fragrant.

Let the Spices cool then Grind in a cheapo Coffee Grinder until slightly less than Coarse. The Garlic and Onion do not need to be toasted. If grinding do so only slightly as the Minced size is pretty close to perfect for Pastrami.

Pastrami aka Smoked Corned Beef, is classicly Black Pepper and Coriander. But I really like the other flavors added. McCormick has some of the same stuff just different proportions than mine. The Garlic and Blk Pepper would be a great addition, the Paprika will pretty much get lost with the stronger spices...JJ

IMHO it just ain't pastrami without the juniper berries. Its a smoked corned beef till the berries is crushed. Of course there is nothing wrong with a smoked corned beef.

Locally a restaurant chills the pastrami, and slices it extremely thin then deep fries it to a crunchy state and heaps it up on bread for a sandwich. Its a bit odd, but I have to admit I liked it! Bread has a creole mustard & horseradish aioli and nothing else but a huge dill wedge.